Alarm transmission.



No. 896,840. 4 PATENTED AUG. 25, 1908.

' J. M. L'ATIMER.

ALARM TRANSMISSION.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 1, 1906.

2 sums-sum 1.

w vtm'w mo ytmwboz n'n: NORRIS PETERS ca. WASHINGTON, n. c.

, /vdmwaeo 2 -4 PATENTED AUG. 25, 1908.

' J. M. LATIMER.

ALARM TRANSMISSION.

APPLICATION FILED SBPT.1,1906.

2 SHEBTS-SHBET 2.

THE NORRIS psrsns co., WAsmuqraN. o. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN M. LATIMER, OF FLUSHING, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO CONSOLIDATED FIREALARM COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ALARM TRANSMISSION.

Original application filed September 18, 1905, Serial No. 278,883.

Patented Aug. 25, 1908.

Serial No. 833,028.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN MORRIS LATI- MER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Flushing, Queens county, Long Island, New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Alarm Transmission, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to alarm systems and apparatus, and particularlyfor the transmission of alarms for automatic sprinkler supervisionservice and is a division from my application, Serial No. 278,883, filedSeptember 18, 1905.

The object is to provide sim le and reliable mechanism for automatical yaffecting a main alarm circuit so as to notify a central station uponinterference or disturbance of any kind in the sprinkler system.

The transmitter is adapted for use in the local circuits for pressuretanks, gravity tanks, gate valves and thermometers. The mechanism isarranged to be released and send in an alarm over a central circuit whencurrent flowing through the local circuit is decreased, to stop aftersending in a plurality of rounds of signals (say three), to start againwhen normal conditions are restored, thus sending in an O. K. signal,and to stop after one more round, ready for operation in case of furthertrouble. When the driving s ring of the transmitter has partially runown, a distinctive signal is automatically sent to central.

Figure 1 is a front View of the mechanism and circuits, Fig. 2 is a viewof the mechanism, the front plate and outer arts being omitted and therelay being (ienergized. Fig. 3 is a side view.

The local circuit is shown arranged for a gate valve attachment and hasthe battery B grounded at G and the branches 1 and 3 grounded at G andincluding local alarm attachments with contacts, such as 18, 19 and aground 20, a resistance 21 and a relay 22. The local circuit is normallyclosed through contacts 18 and 19, so that the relay is energized andholds up its armature 23.

The signal wheel or disk 24 normally bridges the contact fingers 25 and26 and so holds the main line closed. One side of the Wheel 24 has acontinuous low portion extending opposite projections 57 hereafter referred to. A third contact finger 27 rests on the signal wheel 24 butdoes not make con tact therewith except during the normal signal sendingperiod on account of the continu ous low portion of the wheel. It iselectrically connected to the frame 28 and ground at 29 for sending inthe alarm through ground in case one of the main line wires is broken.

One end of the main spring 31 is connected to the winding shaft 30 andthe other end to the frame. The ratchet 32 carried by the shaft isnormally engaged by a spring pressed pawl 34 carried by gear 33 so thatthe spring may be rewound without rotating the rest of the train. Pinion35 which meshes with gear 33 is carried by shaft 36, which also carriesgear 37. Pinion 38 meshing with gear 37 is carried by shaft 39 whichalso carries gear 40. Pinion 41 meshing with gear 40 is carried by shaft42, which also carries the escapement wheel 43. The double arm pawl 44is carried by shaft 45, which has the pallet tail 46. On the lower endof the pallet tail is a clutch having projections 47 and 48 spaced apartas shown in Fig. 2.

The armature lever 23 is pivoted'at 49 and has a pin 50 adapted to standin the path of movement of one of the projections 47 or 48, according asthe armature is down or up, respectively and act as a detent. When thearmature is in a groove of the cam Wheel 51, the pin 50 stands midwaybetween the pro- 'jections 47 and 48 and the pallet tail is free tovibrate. The pin 53 normally rests in the recess or notch 52 in theinner wall of the cam groove when the relay is energized and holds upits armature so that the pin 50 coacts with projection 48 of the clutchand holds the mechanism stationary. When the local circuit is disturbed,the armature 23 is released and falls so that the pin 53 is lifted outof recess 52 and strikes the opposite wall of the cam groove at whichtime the pin 50 stands midway between the clutch projections 47 and48,so that the pallet tail is released and the cam and signal wheel beginto rotate in the direction of the arrows in Figs. 2 and 1, respectively.The rotation continues during which the signal wheel rotates three timesuntil the cam wheel 51 reaches the position shown in Fig. 2, and the pin53 rises into a recess in the outer side of the cam groove similar torecess 52 and the pin 50 intercepts projection 47 of the clutch andstops the mechanism.

When the normal condition of the local circuit is restored, the armature23 is lifted by the energizing of the relay 22, so that pin 53 isbrought down into the cam groove and rotation again permitted. While thecam wheel is rotating and the signal wheel sending one alarm, the pin 53is pressed against the inner wall of the cam groove until recess 52comes under pin 53. The pin is then forced (by the action of its relay)into the recess and rotation stopped. This is called an O. K. signal andafter it the mechanism is in position ready to send in more regularalarms and O. Ks.

A spring contact finger 54 insulated from the frame 28 is electricallyconnected to the insulated spring 55, which forms a support for thecontact screw 56. The signal wheel or disk 24 has one or moreprojections, such as 57 adapted to pass beneath the tip of finger 54just 'after the completion of an alarm.

' When the driving spring 31, which is connected to the driving frame28, is nearly run down, it contacts with screw 56. A circuit throughground will, therefore, be closed after the next alarm is completed,from one of the line wires through the signal wheel 24, projection-57,contact finger 54, support 55, screw 56, spring 31, frame 28 and ground29, the brush 27 being out of contact at that time, thus sending in adistinctive signal indicating that the instrument needs rewinding. Ihave shown three projections like 57, so that the signal consists of 3short taps 0r dots. The character of distinctive signal for eachinstrument may and will properly be different.

The character of the local alarm attachment for controlling the relaycircuit conditions is immaterial and may in fact be either manual orautomatic.

What I claim is 1. In an alarm system, the combination of rotating maincharacter and supplemental character contacts, a driving spring commonto both of said contacts for revolving the same, a circuit controlled bysaid main character contacts, a second circuit and means for completingsaid second circuit through said supplemental contacts when said springunwinds to a predetermined point.

2. In an alarm system, the combination of two sets of contacts, a commondriving spring for revolving both of said sets, two contact meansadapted to engage respec tively with said sets for completingindependent circuits and sending two difierent signals, and means forclosing one of said circuits through one of said sets when the spring isunwound to a predetermined point.

3. In an alarm system, the combination of two sets of contacts, a commondriving spring for revolving both of said sets, two contact meansadapted to engage respectively with said sets for completing two independent circuits and sending two different signals, one of said meansbeing electrically in series in one of said circuits with said springand a contact engaged by said spring when it has unwound a given amount.

4. In an alarm system, the combination of a rotatable disk having twosets of contacts, a driving spring therefor, a normal signaling circuitcontrolled by one of said sets, an independent grounded circuit, meansfor completing said independent circuit through said other set ofcontacts whenever the spring has unwound to a predetermined point, saidmeans consisting of an electric contact in position to be engaged bysaid spring when unwound, and a contact finger in series therewithengaging the other of said sets.

JOHN M. LATIMER.

Witnesses:

L. VREELAND, RoB'r. S. ALLYN.

